Start the New Year Right with These 10 Resolutions for Theme Park Fans

January 3, 2016, 10:15 PM ·
Theme park fans around the world have much to look forward to in the upcoming year. The start of 2016 should encourage fans to start thinking about their theme park vacations for this year — if you haven't started already.

Each year around this time, I offer a list of suggested new year's resolutions for theme park fans, in the spirit of making each year a little bit better than the past. This year, I wrote my list for the Orange County Register, which published it as a column in today's paper and a slideshow on the Register website.

Some of this year's resolutions include "Smile more," "Don't Judge," and my favorite addition to the list — "No more selfies." (You'll have to read the column to see why I included that one!)

Ultimately, most of these resolutions come down to one idea — that you can help yourself get the most enjoyment from your day in the parks by working with your fellow visitors and park employees, instead of trying to work against them. That might seem like a simple and obvious idea, but too many of us forget it when we enter a crowded park and start to fear that we are not going to get that good time for which we planned — and paid.

So that's why we start the year with these resolutions — to remind us that we have a better time when we stop acting like selfish jerks and remember to behave like civil people, instead.

Replies (4)

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January 4, 2016 at 5:01 AM ·
Thanks for including the selfie one Robert; the last few theme park trips my parents have kept trying to take group photos via selfies and I keep saying "wouldn't it be easier if we just asked someone else to take it for us? Y'know, so we're not just jumbled all together?" But I just end up getting scolded. :(

My parents in general seem afraid of asking for help. Whenever we get lost or wanna know about showtimes or something like that, I seem to be the only one to offer up the idea of asking the people who work there.

January 4, 2016 at 8:58 PM ·
While I appreciate the concept of "if you see someone awkwardly trying to snap that selfie, resolve to offer to take their picture for them," I've given up doing that. Every time I offer, I get told no. Apparently people must love to having their arm framing every one of their vacation photos.

I'd add "stop recording fireworks shows and just watch them". If you need to relive them, you'll find plenty of recordings on YouTube. And, many of them were filmed with better equipment.